LETTER: Tracy campaign tactics show no 'fresh ideas'

At one time, I thought of Jim Tracy as an honorable man in office. However, the dirt-dishing by his campaign for Congress now speaks volumes to me regarding his character.

He assertion that Rep. Scott DesJarlais lacks integrity due to, as he advertises, a "scandalous" divorce some 15 years ago has made him ineffective even though his voting record in Congress for two terms awarded him to be the fourth most conservative member of the House.

I find Tracy's tactics to be desperate and deplorable! Instead of campaigning on his so-called "fresh ideas" (which have yet to be heard) he has chosen a path of being the moral judge of DesJarlais and deliberately misleading voters about his voting record. Tracy's record as a state senator is one that mostly supports the party and donors.

What Tracy wants us believe is that he has been a compassionate conservative voice although he supports an automatic state gas tax increases and Gov. Haslam's further federalization of our education system with Common Core. Hardly the "integrity" that he rails on about which is absent in Congress. Also, it seems to me that any compassion for Rep. DesJarlais and his wife and daughter ends during campaigning with his tireless mud-slinging and disparaging his character. I ask you: do we need to elect "just another politician" or do we keep a "true statesman" in office?

My support is for Rep. Scott Desjarlais who has a proven record of defending our Constitution and fighting the continued increase of big government and raising taxes without the hint of a scandal while representing the Fourth District.